Brit is the catalyst for growth at GE

The former Amersham boss leading GEs healthcare arm can now fulfil his vision of preventative medicine

SIR WILLIAM CASTELL was given an opportunity last year that comes to very few. Jeff Immelt, chief executive of the mighty General Electric, and the man about to become Castell’s boss, invited him to make a presentation to the annual gathering of GE’s 600 most senior managers at Boca Raton in Florida.

Since the days of Jack Welch, Immelt’s illustrious predecessor, an invitation to speak at Boca has been like an Olympic medal, a sign that you are a star even among arguably the most highly regarded cadre of managers in global industry.

GE is a $150-billion-a-year behemoth. Its businesses include aircraft engines, locomotives, power generation, water processing, financial services and television — and it still makes the light bulbs that gave Thomas Edison’s company its start 127 years ago.

In January 2004 Castell had yet to join GE. But Immelt wanted him at Boca because GE had agreed to pay